Second COVID-19 case found in Webster County

Elijah Decious

Reporter

edecious@messengernews.net

Webster County Public Health identified another positive case of COVID-19 in Webster County Tuesday morning, the county’s second discovered infection.

The second county resident, an older adult between age 61 and 80, is currently hospitalized. WCPH said all people fitting the criteria of contact with the individual have been notified.

“”We know that COVID-19 is in our communities because of community spread in Iowa. We anticipated today’s case and have been planning for this,” said Webster County Public Health Director Kari Prescott. “We anticipate more cases.”

Public Health officials say that approximately 80% of those infected with COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus pandemic, will only experience mild to moderate illness. Most mildly ill Iowans do not need to go to their health care provider to be tested to confirm they have COVID-19, but must stay home and isolate themselves from others in the home.

The Iowa Department of Public Health advises Iowans who are sick to stay home and isolate from others in the house until:

•You have had no fever for at least 72 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine.

•Other symptoms, such as cough or shortness of breath, have improved.

•At least seven days have passed since your symptoms first appeared.

Those who believe they need health care are asked to call their provider first, who will walk them through an assessment over the phone to determine whether they need to be seen.

Webster County Public Health continues to remind residents to practice social distancing, which includes avoiding gatherings of 10 or more people, maintaining a distance of at least six feet from others and remaining at home, only leaving for essential needs.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday recommended that all members of the public wear cloth face masks as an additional public health measure, in addition to six-feet social distancing and staying at home as much as possible.

New recommendations reflect the realization from recent studies that show a significant portion of those infected with coronavirus can be either asymptomatic or in a pre-symptomatic stage, still able to transmit the virus before realizing they’re infected.

Cloth face masks should:

•Fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face.

•Cover both the mouth and nose.

•Be secured with ties or ear loops.

•Include multiple layers of fabric.

•Allow for breathing without constriction.

•Have the ability to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape.

Masks can be sewn out of household fabric or made from common materials around the home like scarves or bandanas with rubber bands. Cloth face coverings are not the same as surgical masks or N-95 respirators, the critical supplies that the CDC says must continue to be reserved for medical first responders and front-line medical staff.